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For most of us, a trip to the gym means running on the treadmill
or pumping iron, but there is a new fitness
trend can be done from the comfort of your desk. Rather than
work your quads and triceps, these gyms stretch your mental
muscle. "Brain gyms" consist of a circuit of interactive games
that are designed to improve select areas of brain health
including memory, concentration and strategic thinking, and just
like regular gyms, you pay a monthly membership and have access
to personal trainers.

Sheida Rabipour, a PhD candidate in neuroscience at the
University of Ottawa, recently published a review on brain gyms
and says while more research is required to determine whether
brain gyms can lead to improved productivity, they have been
shown to advance certain cognitive functions.

Brain training programs target the prefrontal cortex, which is
associated with problem solving, strategic thinking, attention
and memory. "[These are the areas] that require a higher level of
thinking," says Rabipour. "By strengthening these networks, not
only will you improve at that particular task but hopefully you
will improve in other aspects of mental function that draw on the
same network that has now been strengthened as a result of these
games that you've been practicing," she says.

Here are three things you should know about brain gyms before
signing up for a mental workout.

1. It's more than just doing crossword
puzzles.
People have been doing games like crossword puzzles to stimulate
their minds for decades. But brain training is different from
says Rabipour. "Cognitive training programs try to increase the
level of challenge. As the levels increase, you add more factors
in a very controlled and monitored way," she says. Instruction
may show you how to look at a problem differently than you may
have previously thought of doing. This is especially true of
brain gyms such as cogmed.com in which training is only provided
through accredited coaches that provide motivation and monitor
results.

2. Frequency is important.
Brain gyms are designed to be fun and provide a level of
entertainment that keeps the user engaged, but this doesn't mean
you devote hours each day to working out in your brain gym.
Rabipour advises they you should focus on frequency and building
a habit, playing games during a lunch hour or while taking a
coffee break a few times a week. Some brain-training sites, such
as www.HAPPYneuron.com, ask users to make a commitment log in two
to three times per week and spent 30 minutes to one hour per
session.

3. Not all brain gyms are the same.
While there are plenty of products on the market that promise to
boost your cognitive function, Rabipour advises those shopping
for a brain workout to ask whether the program targets the
capabilities you're looking to improve and look for independent
studies done on the programs. Often, these can be found on the
program's website or in scientific journals. "If the website has
no studies or evidence to show [their program works], that's a
red flag," says Rabipour.

Cogmedwas developed to
focus on attention problems caused by poor working memory.
Trained coaches support users throughout the training, and
program fees are set by each individual Cogmed trainer and
vary by location.

CogniFitprovides a
free assessment in which users participate in ten brain games
that target memory, spatial perception, hand-eye coordination,
attention and response time. The assessment delivers a detailed
report to show your brain's level of fitness. After your
assessment, the games become more challenging. The premium plan
is $10/month or $90/year.

HAPPYNeuron 's
interactive games target memory, attention, language and
strategy. There are over 3,500 hours of training available, and
virtual coach suggests specific training sessions adapted and
customized to the user's needs based on their performance. A
three-month membership costs $29.95.

Before registering for Lumosity, you're asked to choose
a particular aspect of each of five cognitive areas: speed,
memory, attention, flexibility and problem solving. From your
responses, and your age, Lumosity builds a personalized
training program. The three-day trial is free while a monthly
subscription is $14.95 (or $6.70 per month for a yearly
subscription).